he also referenced the impending fiscal cliff, which threatens to derail the economy if a compromise can't be reached by next week on those big unanswered issues. with both sides locked in the standoff, house republicans are calling on senate democrats to act first. democrats aren't budging much on their demands. they want to extend tax cuts and incomes below $250,000, prolong unemployment benefits, and delay those sweeping spending cuts. sam stein. >> yes. >> what happens in -- and it appears it will happen -- we go off the fiscal cliff for a few days? >> not much, is my understanding. kwb, over time, it will have much more of an impact, and it's unknown exactly what the market's psyche will do with respect to the government's inability to come together. with respect to the tax hikes, it won't be as bad as the rhetoric is suggesting early on. whether it's enough to actually get people to get back to the negotiating table -- because i agree with you, i think we're going to go over that deadline, that's the big question. what kind of political ramifications it will have. it's not as i